Focus Meeting

These meetings don't happen anywhere else in the Premiership.
People present ;
Michael Dunford, David Harrison and Graeme Sharp from Everton F.C.
Kevin Nolan and Norman Dainty Everton Shareholders Association
Jim King and Bob Numen Official Everton supporters
Charlie Crosby, Barry Murray and Ian Macdonald EISA

1. The Kings Dock bid
This is without doubt the most important subject in our Evertonian lives, we are moving home, not just to any place but to a magical site that can and will get out of us treading the financial water and rise from being poor relations in this city of ours .Its that serious and important. The club is often criticised for lack of ambition etc, we are reaching for the stars with this bid and the hierarchy must be thanked for their aspirations.
What can the average fan do then to help the bid? Could some format be placed on the official website and to the area were our model bid is placed at Goodison for fans to visit and help. Time is of the essence now to make decision makers heads turn More has to come out of Goodison in the next few weeks and let fans be informed as much as possible. Let the fans feel a part of this bid more and entice the majority who voted to move to the Docks to help more. After all this is our land we are trying to secure .The bids from outside are for what they can make out of us. Surely the Merseyside people should have a bigger say in this magical site .We are not North American Indians are we? EDSA members are asking if their group will be suitably accommodated in the new stadium and next season at Goodison. The club also needs to redress the local papers there is a definite unbalance especially the Post. Do you Michael have any contact details of decision-makers I have not got already?

ANSWERS
According to Mr D if EP want to just make a quick buck say 40 million we are not in the hat for the sale of this site, but thankfully the stipulation for the bid are for long term investment and regeneration of the area. Heads I was told are turning our way two names mentioned Mr Henshaw and Mr Storey. Mr Henshaws aims I believe are set towards London and the GLC and what a feather it would be with a magnanimous right decision for the people of Merseyside. Kevin Nolan believes the decision for the bid lies in London and we should also lobby there if we haven't already. Kevin's reasoning is that the area desperately needs our type of venue and nationally it would be good for the image of Merseyside. It was interesting and important that our police commissionaire Norman Bettison sees no problem with our bid and in the past the police have coped with far bigger crowds, trouble free, in the city. A positive aspect of our bid don't you think. Angela Eagles the MP for Wirral is a close friend of Chris Smith the Cultural secretary and is worth dropping a line, especially if you live in her consistuent. Our model and presentation will be at Goodison soon in the Legends bar and will be open to the fans from ten in the morning till late at night. Hopefully contact address will be given to the decision-makers for our bid for fans to send letters to. EDSA has been taken on board big time for our new stadium. In fact at the special presentation at the Maritime museum Bill did make it a point to mention Steve Heneghan and his members in his speech that night. The firm enlisted to do the feasibility De La touch, I think, are doing more background for the ultimate presentation of Bill's life. The local papers attitude to us was also noted by Mr D. I think their slant on Everton goes back even to the days of Catterick and more lately Joe Royle. Decision day on our bid is March 22nd although I have heard it could be later to get this decision right. Then we should win we stack up on every criteria and more !.Our presentation wins hands down even to the skeptics I know EP are impressed with it and the public response to it.

2. The Media deal
Any alternative bids for the media rights. It's difficult for a seller to do a good deal in a buyers market.
Could we have a statement every so often to appease the fans it would seem we have missed the boat. Apart from Arsenal there has been no major club involved with a media company in the last twelve months.
It is a sad indictment of how we are perceived outside Mersey side .We are the spotty Muldon of the big clubs it would appear. The fans must also remember no one wanted to touch us with a barge pole when we were for sale from sixty million to twenty odd million, so please the Kenwright knockers don't have a memory of a goldfish I dread to think were we would be now without him at least trying and putting everything on the line. Administration and first division comes to mind.

ANSWERS
Not allot can be told on this subject for obvious reasons. Personally I think allot depends on whether we get this magical site .Our bargaining power will be greatly improved if we are loud and proud ON THE BANKS OF THE ROYAL BLUE MERSEY. Imagine the raised image and high profile. I felt a bit sorry for Mr D as he just can't reveal anything tangible to the fans on this subject . It was awkward at one point when it was stated the media dealings have been going on since July and the fans are fed up and frustrated by the whole affair.

3. Netherton and the youth system in general
Can we have a update on the proposed porta cabins to be installed since last November .The kids are still getting changed and showered at my old school Savio and also Thornton Civil service club. How come it is taking so long? It would have been prudent and less damaging to our youths if the existing buildings were renovated .I still maintain I could accomplish this on a low budget. Less than two weeks wages of some of the players involved in the Tranmere game would put some decency in the Kids set up. I am having complaints from as far away as Stafford regarding the youth set up in facilities. But I do know the cake is only so big and we are skint .The other lot is now ploughing £3 million into Melwood how do you think that makes us feel? As for Bellfield in its present state I know it's a waste of money to do allot to it. But again I hear rumours of broken bikes etc and players going to the David Lloyd centres because they don't trust our physio. There is no dietician on board and an uncertainty within the fans of the right Medical treatment / diagnosis. Many examples of player's long-term injuries testify to that. Before Christmas we all presumed that our players could not overcome flu like any other person when in fact they had a viral infection. Alexanderson taken of recently at home to Spurs, we all thought Walters tactics when in fact he was ill, why oh why do we not give the long suffering fans the right explanations instead of festering amongst themselves.
Fans share issue is one way of getting us back to a even keel .I reckon there is at least £10 million out there from the fans .With the present board holding 70% of the shares this would not dissolve their majority too much .I am not looking for anarchy just a answer to our current financial plight . Please don't shut out the fans too much on this matter .The club is sailing to a £25 million pound overdraft and that is a recipe for disaster or whole sale selling of our best players namely Ball and Jeffers. Can we have a clear statement of our true overdraft ,they were 15 million at 31/5/2000 and with the apparent collapse of any media deal what are we going to do about this third world debt .I some times feel a management analyst should be brought in to see the wood from the trees .The club is a big picture and I think it should be cut up to smaller units independent for accountability .The club after all is a business and if we performed like some of the employees (players included ) we would go home with our P45's. Why is it so different at any club

ANSWERS
The porta cabins are definitely on their way to Netherton. I've lost the refurb job then! The Fans share issue is being talked about at boardroom level and definitely a possibility as an answer to some of our problems. On the question raised regarding the Everton physio's, Mr D was quite happy with their efforts as are the rest of the staff Bellfield must resemble Mash sometimes. Everything else in the above section was taken on board and answers to be given later on investigation. I honestly think we won't be told the true overdraft let the papers ramble on and depress us even more .Ball and Jeffers who knows ?. Do they want to stay ?. will they negotiate contracts affordable to us .They are Evertonians but two parties have to agree to a contract. I'm not being cryptic just factual. Will they go willingly or pushed from the club only the players can answer that long term.

4. Pricing policies at forthcoming games.
The Boro game was a big success in getting the twelfth man in .God knows what the gate would have been after the Tranmere debacle. Can we please have more of the same pricing policy until we are hopefully safe .It makes sense, the 35,000 gate was bear in mind a night game .So a weekend game may see a full house and three priceless points with a stirring crowd behind them. Hardly anyone we knew complained about the pricing. Desperate times mean desperate measures
Please endorse our thanks to the board for taking on board our requests for these affordable games to our younger fan, our future.

ANSWERS
Yes more imaginative pricing for games are to come and any more ideas are welcome.4,000 kids came to the Boro game and we had forty complaints from season ticket holders. Next season the club will state what it intends to do with special games from the off before we buy our season ticket so some can't moan about our present innovative ticket policies. The Premier pricing of certain games will not be carried over to next season and as of this moment there will be no price increases next season. Their goals at the club are set at enabling more people to get to the game financially and ticket accessibility. I think this should be commended.

5. Ticket arrangements
Before the nightmare game (yet again!) against Tranmere there was unfortunately a 'local' postal strike (why didn't someone pop into a car and post these tickets outside the strike area less than ten miles away) and tickets from the dial a seat did not arrive to the subscribers but were left at the box office to be collected, fair enough but why was there not extra help to sort out the collection on match day some fans queued for over two hours and missed the beginning of the match. It was the same at the refreshment bars, we knew it was a sell-out but the bars were under staffed. I counted six people in the lower Gwladys Street to serve ten queues. Last night when magnificent 35,000 fans turned up from all over the country the Ipswich away tickets were stopped being sold at six o'clock. I had six complaints about this in less than 15 minutes, why oh why do we send a signal out that the club doesn't listen or care? I'm still getting complaints about kit sizes not available from the mega store.
Scrap the premier game pricing its an insult were not exactly getting entertained week in week out.

Answers
Some of the above was answered previously. Signs will be put up to inform what tickets only are for sale and for what game till what time. The Tranmere game was a nightmare ,10,000 fans turned up on the day for tickets in one form or another. People from different departments were drafted in to cope with the problems precipitated by the local postal strike. Letters requesting Tranmere tickets were coming right up to the morning of the match, phones were on meltdown all week and it was chaos .It was a catch 22 situation with people turning up on the day expecting tickets ,300 were held back for such mix ups on the day. One idea bounced around was that for cup games at home season ticket holders will be asked before the season starts if their seat ticket is wanted to be sent to them straight away when the game is announced and their money deducted from their accounts. Because of recent congestion for tickets before the game it is thought that 8pm kick offs will come about next season aswell. There was 11,000 in the ground 11 minutes before kick off against Leeds such is the crowd outside. Our fans mostly choose to come in late. Still a magnificent 35,000 turned up that's inspiring from an Evertonians point of view.

6. Dixie's statue
Can we have an update please of Tom Murphy's efforts? If I remember correctly is it supposed to be ready for March his anniversary of joining Everton? I hope we celebrate the unfolding of this statue fittingly for the Great mans achievement's never to be equalled.

ANSWERS
The great mans Statue is on course for his anniversary. Dixie will be suitably celebrated.

7. How is our marketing manager getting on?
And what will Ian Ross's job exactly entail.

ANSWERS
Andy Oldknow is doing well with some good ideas to be announced soon .Ian Ross has been enlisted to raise our profile higher on Fleet Street .He will not take over Alan Meyers job, Mr Ross's aims and job are different to Mr Meyer's.

8. The team
Where do you start, yet again from so much optimism to fighting for our premiership lives as early as January. In a nutshell bad luck with injuries ,bad management with tactics etc and the harsh reality of our financial state. All aspects mentioned were shown clearly last night. Duncan off injured again other players just back from injury or appearing to carry one .The team run around like headless chickens yet again with no-one appearing to know were they are playing except Gerrard ( the goalkeepers are clearly not good enough ),we can't defend set pieces or corners ,I'm fed up shouting someone to be left up during defending corners .I've lost count how many goals we have conceded through basic schoolboy errors the goal last night from Harte was going to happen we were being overrun ,everyone saw the need for a substitution except Walter. Why are so many players played out of position ?.I have been told from different people that our assistant coach bullies the kids and the Man Utd players will endorse this with a noticeable up turn in fortunes and confidence once Mr Knox left. Hasn't Mr knox got a job in Scotland ?, I can't see really what goes on at Bellfield, really I can't. The luck is for all to see deflections ,two goals from the last two games, injuries ( or bad training methods and medical treatment ) it's a fact that Clelland and Alexanderson were ever presents in their previous teams. Leeds have spent nearly 80 million we have spent 8.5 million and it showed for long periods last night that is the harsh financial reality. We clearly need a bit of a clear out once hopefully safe ,we need to assess were we are going wrong both on and off the field but the timing is not right now to rock the boat . Were too fragile. The Hartson deal why didn't we think of that one ?.
The above may seem harsh but its only what is being said amongst the fans .This is the real world of the Evertonian .Unless things improve dramatically in the next few months I think we will lose allot of loyal fans who have had enough. Would you enjoy going to the dentist every week and pay for the pleasure.
Player's to look at , Swedish under 21 goalkeeper Anders Isaksson Djurgadens aged 19 from one of our Swedish members Mikael Persson. Cardiff striker Robert Earnshaw get him now at all costs !On the subject of players nationally and on the continent do we have a computer based with all current info on who's who?. Especially those nearing end of contract.
Last point since we are so precarious again points deducted for crowd invasion will or could cost us dearly .One of our members suggested we should name and shame the culprits to try and stop it before its too late lets not be like Walter and wait for the inevitable to happen . People are being paid allot of money at this club and most fans think they are not worth it when they look at their own salary that is a fact being talked about more each day .It has to stop now this meandering to the abyss.
I would like to place on record that I will be stepping down from being so active and just look after our own loyal band ,the Kings Dock bid is too important to stay away from just now. My business and family demand more attention .Maybe that is why I soul search about salaries at this club so much .We are unpaid to do what we do, we love the club but more and more each day our love is becoming less for it must be a too way relationship for it to be worthwhile, the difference is we pay the peoples wages who let us down so much. These fan focus meetings should be on a wider plain at least twice a season to the supporter groups around the country they are making bigger efforts than anyone to go to the dentist these days.

ANSWERS
How can Mr D answer for Walter . Everything said was again taken on board .In fact Mr D will be asking Walter to come to the next meeting to answer for himself his tactics etc. Pity I won't be there Walter has allot of good points but tactically hmmm. Mr D did mention that the medical side is allot different and behind the continent. Arsenal are on board with the new ideas coming from the continent and Chelsea mainly through their managers influence suppose we should have a doctor full time when you consider these players are treated like thoroughbreds was a comment from Mr D. He also added that although I keep telling him he can't think like an Evertonian he does realise that Evertonians expect to be entertained even in defeat and we clearly aren't being entertained.
On the people running onto the pitch with potentially disastrous consequences. It was banded about that the stewards, as at Leeds, should be facing the crowd at all times .In fact showsec recently taken over by SFX employ non football fans for this reason .
I'd like to thank the contributors out there for some of this agenda and they are as follows
Mark Wilson EDSA, on the facilities, Kenny Meyers, on the mega store and more feedback to fans letters, Neil Wolsenholme on media deal and finances, Wayne Hughes ticket arrangements and media profile, Dominic Laws fans share issue and media deal , Ray Finch media and contacts for decision makers, Guy McEvoy tickets and Phil Pellow on Dixie's statue.
If I have left anybody out I'm sorry. Anything I have missed or could not get a suitable answer to I did my best! You can't expect everything to be divulged
can you?
Yours thankfully Ian Macdonald EISA (vice- secretary)

PS Almost forgot we are hopefully entering the Intertoto Scillachi cup. We can't win with that one can we ? Helmet's ready for the flack lads (and Ladies)